Born and bred in Bacolod City in the island of Negros, young Simon Suplido, who comes from a close-knit family of four siblings and four dogs, appreciated cartoons and comics for their fun images and style. This spurred his creativity, which eventually led him to draw, paint, and take up graphic design. The colorful illustrations, coupled with the annual Masskara festival, fueled his artistic passion.

He soon braved the unfamiliar and harsh streets of Manila to pursue his collegiate studies. The adjustments he made as a Negrense to the customs of Manila was the focus of his first solo exhibit Monochrome Make Known at the Grey Room Art Space, Art District in his hometown.

"Most artworks reflected my feelings of isolation in Manila as a result of learning a slightly different culture," he confessed.

The showcase took the form of black-and-white charcoal pencils on kraft paper, which he believed was the ideal medium to best represent his thoughts and feelings. "Which ironically aren't black and white, metaphorically," said the Multimedia Arts graduate from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.